Composition for preventing atherosclerosis

Abstract

The present invention provides a composition obtained by organic solvent extraction of defatted plant seed which is an atherosclerosis preventative agent. The present invention further provides a food and a pharmaceutical composition containing the composition, as well as a method of preventing an atherosclerotic disease.

1. A composition for inhibiting plaque formation, comprising an organic solvent extraction of a safflower plant seed, wherein the organic solvent extraction is obtained by a process comprising extracting a defatted plant seed with ethanol, after said extracting with ethanol, evaporating said ethanol, adding water, extracting an aqueous phase, and washing said aqueous phase with a nonpolar solvent and wherein the organic solvent extraction comprises p-coumaroyl serotonin and/or feruloyl serotonin as an active ingredient. 
     
     
       2. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said nonpolar solvent is n-hexane. 
     
     
       3. A food comprising the composition of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       4. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
       5. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said process further comprises extracting with an acetate ester after said extracting and washing said aqueous phase with a nonpolar solvent. 
     
     
       6. The composition of  claim 5 , wherein said acetate ester is selected from the group consisting of ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, and propyl acetate. 
     
     
       7. The composition of  claim 5 , wherein said nonpolar solvent is n-hexane. 
     
     
       8. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said p-coumaroyl serotonin and/or feruloyl serotonin is present at a concentration of 10-30 wt %. 
     
     
       9. A composition for inhibiting plaque formation, comprising an organic solvent extraction of a safflower plant seed, wherein the organic solvent extraction is obtained by a process consisting essentially of extracting a defatted plant seed with ethanol and extracting with an acetate ester after said extracting with ethanol, and wherein the organic solvent extraction comprises p-coumaroyl serotonin and/or feruloyl serotonin as an active ingredient. 
     
     
       10. The composition of  claim 9 , wherein said acetate ester is selected from the group consisting of ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, and propyl acetate.